France orders expulsion and freezes assets of Russian journalist Xenia Fedorova

Xenia Fedorova France expulsion asset freeze disinformation media freedom

The French interior ministry issued a deportation order on 29 July 2026 against Russian journalist Xenia Fedorova, accusing her of acting as a conduit for Kremlin‑directed disinformation that threatens public order and the nation’s fundamental interests. The order also mandates that she report daily to the police and assigns her to residence.

Two days later, on 31 July 2026, the French government announced a six‑month freeze of Fedorova’s assets, citing the need to prevent further acts of foreign ingérence. The freeze was published in the Journal officiel and applies to any funds or resources she controls.

Fedorova, former director of RT France until its shutdown after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, now appears regularly on CNews, Europe 1 and the JDNews weekly, outlets owned by media magnate Vincent Bolloré. French interior minister Laurent Nuñez defended the measures as protecting national security, while media groups Canal+ and Lagardère denounced them as an attack on freedom of expression. Reporters sans frontières co‑founder Robert Menard also criticised the expulsion as disproportionate.

Entities: CANAL+ · Emmanuel Piwnica · French Ministry of Economy and Finance · French government · Lagardère · Laurent Nunez · Robert Menard · Vincent Bolloré · Xenia Fedorova

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Canal+ and Lagardère described the measures as a serious attack on freedom of expression. (Company statements)
[● 4 SOURCES] The French interior ministry issued a deportation order against Xenia Fedorova on 29 July 2026. (French interior ministry)
[● 2 SOURCES] France froze Xenia Fedorova's assets for six months, announced on 31 July 2026, to prevent new acts of ingérence. (French Ministry of Economy and Finance)
[● 2 SOURCES] Fedorova has been assigned to residence and must report daily to the police. (French authorities)
[● 2 SOURCES] Interior minister Laurent Nuñez said the expulsion is necessary to protect France’s fundamental interests. (Laurent Nuñez)
[● 3 SOURCES] Fedorova appears regularly on CNews, Europe 1 and JDNews, media outlets owned by Vincent Bolloré. (Media reports)
[● 4 SOURCES] The deportation order states that Fedorova acts as a conduit for Russian disinformation and threatens public order. (Deportation order text)
[● 4 SOURCES] Xenia Fedorova was director of RT France until the channel was shut down in 2022. (Background information)